The Caribbean Sea catches your eye, and you would like to discover the West Indies and the paradisiacal landscapes associated with it? Today we take you to a mysterious and almost legendary island: welcome to Jamaica, the homeland of reggae!
Summary
- 1. Dunn’s Falls
- 2. Dolphin Cove
- 3. Mystic Mountain
- 4. Blue Mountains
- 5. The Green Caves
- 6. Mayfield Falls
- 7. James Bond Beach
- 8. Winnifred Beach
- 9. Lime Cay
- 10. Emancipation Park
- 11. The Turtle River Falls & Gardens
- 12. The Cockpit Country
- 13. The Bob Marley Museum
- 14. Bloody Bay
- 15. Rafting Village
Jamaica is an island of more than 10,000 km² – slightly larger in area than Corsica – located in the Caribbean arc, just below Cuba . Here, the landscapes are particularly magnificent and made up of mountains, lush tropical forests and splendid beaches bordered by reefs. On Montego Bay and Negril, two towns in the north of the island, there are a multitude of seaside resorts popular with tourists from all over the world for their clear waters and white sand beaches, but also for all the water activities you can can happily practice scuba diving or sailing there.
Renowned for being the country of reggae where Bob Marley was born, it is also known for the legendary joie de vivre of its inhabitants and the beauty of some of its towns with their perfectly preserved English colonial architecture, reminding us that this English-speaking territory , is the very archetype of the cultural mix specific to the islands of the Caribbean Sea!
If you want to discover more about this mythical island, we offer you a small guide presenting some of the most beautiful places to visit in Jamaica!
Ready ? Let’s go !
1. Dunn’s Falls
It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Jamaica, if not the West Indies. Located a few kilometers from Ocho Rios , they are the end of the Dunn River and flow into the Caribbean Sea. The place is sumptuous and spectacular, and many tourists who come to visit Jamaica come to admire them. Go for a walk to Dunn’s Falls if you don’t know what to do in Jamaica, whether you are alone or with your family, you will understand why!
2. Dolphin Cove
One of our favorites – and there are many – in Jamaica, this small island in the West Indies. Here, very close to Ocho Rios, you can swim at Dolphin Cove with dolphins and stingrays and get scared by… sharks, most of which are fortunately harmless! If you have come to visit Jamaica, on the North side, go to Ocho Rios, a seaside resort welcoming cruise ships and tourists from all over the world who come to admire the beauty of the place and bask on its splendid beaches!
3. Mystic Mountain
This natural park in the north of the island is a very special place for those who love outdoor excursions, hiking and picnics in the heart of nature; but many attractions and infrastructures allow those who come looking for what to do in Jamaica to find what they are looking for. You can, in fact, climb the summit with a cable car to the highest point of the hill. This will ensure you an extraordinary panorama, and you can even practice the bobsleigh there, in a track winding through the jungle. Something to bring back memories to fans of the film Rasta Rockett!
4. Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains are a large mountain range, whose altitude reaches, at Blue Mountain Peak, more than 2250 meters. In fact, the Blue Mountains are a must to visit in Jamaica since they occupy a third of the island, east side! The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, rewarding the beauty of the place, its exceptional preservation and the maintenance of the hiking trails winding through these mountains covered in tropical jungle. Go check it out, it’s really worth it!
5. The Green Caves
Claustrophobes, abstain! The green caves ? Yes, these amazing natural creations are a must-see attraction in Jamaica. Guided tours are regularly organized there, speleologists can help you perfect your exploration technique in the narrow caverns connecting the caves and a lot of historical information is distilled by the signs, judiciously placed on the route you want to take. . Whatever your age or physical condition, it is possible to have fun in these caves when you come to visit Jamaica!
6. Mayfield Falls
Simply amazing: Mayfield Falls , are actually a set of 21 small waterfalls breaking the Mayfield River — a tributary of the Cabarita River, near Glenbrook Westmoreland. If we tell you about it, it’s because it’s nice, when you want to know what to do in Jamaica, to come and discover this place to enjoy the small pools dug in the rock and the waterfalls inviting young and old to have a swim. absolutely unforgettable! The water there is quite cold, but crystal clear and perfectly clean.
7. James Bond Beach
What a strange name! In fact, we can also call this wonderful stretch of sand Laughing Waters Beach and Roaring River Beach, but this beach takes its name from the movie “James Bond 007 against Dr No”, where many scenes were filmed. Located on a micro-peninsula in the bay of Oracabessa , about 15 km from Ocho Rios, on the north coast of Jamaica, one does not come here to spy on anyone but to bathe in turquoise water or enjoy the many small bars. who are now ready for it. Ideal when you come to visit Jamaica and want to enjoy a wild evening after admiring a splendid sunset!
8. Winnifred Beach
Less known than the other beaches on the island, often invaded by myriads of tourists who come to visit Jamaica, Winnifred beach is located very close to Portland , in the northeast of Jamaica, in the county of Surrey. People come here to swim — the beach is one of the most beautiful on the island — and enjoy the typical Jamaican atmosphere, with its many stalls selling fried chicken and traditional accras and its little tin bars where rums and fruit cocktails will be served to you for a few Jamaican dollars. You will understand, the place is to drink and see again! You can also walk there on donkey or horseback, and excursions are regularly organized in the area, which will delight young and old.
9. Lime Cay
Lime Cay is an islet, the largest — at two hectares in area, or 380 by 80 meters — of a mini archipelago of white sand islands off Port Royal. When you come to visit Jamaica, you can decide to go there, if only to enjoy the extraordinary postcard landscapes of this wonderful place! The ferries allow you to arrive directly in the area but many fishermen, smiling and helpful, will take you there for a few dollars if you want to share a moment of complicity with the local inhabitants, whose calm and kindness remain legendary!
10. Emancipation Park
The Jamaican capital, Kingston , is home to Emancipation Park . Public, the place is steeped in history since it was inaugurated on the day of the celebration of the Jamaican emancipation and that the Prime Minister at the time, P. Patterson, declared himself that this splendid raised park was in fact a place of memory, commemorating the end of slavery from which almost all the inhabitants of the island come! Of course, these historical and political considerations are of little concern to visitors looking for what to do in Jamaica, but it can still be interesting to go there to perfect your culture or enjoy a squeezed fruit juice!
11. The Turtle River Falls & Gardens
Before, the place was called “the Enchanted Gardens”. You’d like to know why ? Here , several waterfalls can be climbed and one is able to jump into cool, clear water, the depth of which is indicated on signs for safety! Several renowned botanical gardens are also located there and an ornithological biotope reserved for many species of birds, such as peacocks or parrots, was also set up there. Accustomed to human presence, they can even land on your shoulder for a treat! Inexpensive, access to the site is really worth it when you come to visit Jamaica with your family.
12. The Cockpit Country
The Cockpit country is a very special place, and you have to know it when you come to visit Jamaica. In fact, it is an autonomous region within the very heart of the Caribbean island, and its very particular geology – dense jungle, caves and domes of rock – made it a territory where the “maroon niggers” hid, fleeing the violence of their slave masters! Their descendants are, moreover, still present today, and celebrate their national holiday on January 6th. We particularly recommend that you visit Accompong Maroon , a village to visit to immerse yourself in the heart of this people with such an intense history, or to discover the fabulous caves that will delight caving enthusiasts!
13. The Bob Marley Museum
Even if we didn’t want to fall into clichés, we definitely couldn’t ignore the museum dedicated to the one who, on his own, embodies Jamaica: the famous singer Bob Marley is obviously a local legend, and a museum, the Island House in Kingston, is dedicated to him. If you’re a reggae fan and want to learn more about your favorite artist when you come to visit Jamaica, we hope you’ll take a look at this 19th century colonial house where the artist who became a demigod lived. eyes of fans around the world. In addition, the neighborhood is charming and it is very pleasant to walk in this area of Kingston.
14. Bloody Bay
Bloody Bay is still a beach that we make you discover, but what do you want, we are on an island, right? Here, we sunbathe on immaculate sand; take your mask and snorkel to splash around multicolored fish and starfish; we drink a glass of punch, we get married, we dance and we eat in the many establishments bordering this pretty beach, which is quite touristy but very clean. We recommend, if you are still looking for what to do in Jamaica, to discover this wonderful place which is a local institution for many Jamaicans!
15. Rafting Village
Photo credit: Flickr – Barney Bishop
Fan of thrills? Adrenaline addict? Not shy? Well, too bad for you. Despite the name of this famous attraction in Jamaica , here, we calmly follow the course of a calm river, installed on bamboo rafts piloted by a guide helped by a pole! In the departure and arrival area, refreshments or snacks will be served to visitors who have come to find what to do in Jamaica. It is in the very north of the island, near Martha Brae, that you can access this unique attraction: here is something to relax the most stressed of those who have come to visit Jamaica!
Photo credit: Flickr
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